Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Continuing Education Opportunities (forwarded by LAA)
Listed below are online workshops. You will notice that most do not require a paid for registration but all require that you register to listen and participate. If you register for a webinar but cannot attend at the designated time, most will archive the conference and you can login at a later time and listen.
What: International Council on Archives: Section on University and Research Institution Archives (SUV) Conference 2011
When: July 12 to 16
Where: University of Alberta, register http://www.dundee.ac.uk/cais/suv2011/
Webinars: Courses, Presentations
Note: WebJunction has a variety of self-paced courses, check out http://www.webjunction.org/catalog
Acquisitions, Collections and Cataloguing
What: Book group buzzing
When: 12:00 to 1:00
Where: http://bit.ly/m0KZr3
Instruction, Teaching and Instructional Design
What: Seeking evidence for impact – Lessons from the Inter/National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research
When: July 11 from 11:00 to 12:00
Where: http://bit.ly/lnYbCA
What: Instructional design for online teaching and learning
When: July 11 to 29 at your own pace
Where: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/events/elearning/courses/instdesign.cfm
What: Classroom assessment for information literacy instruction: Are the learning what you are teaching?
When: July 19 from 12:00 to 1:30
Where: http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/events/elearning/courses/classroomassessment.cfm
What: Re-engineering academic libraries for digital native and beyond: Digital learning materials and the “teaching machine” of the future
When: August 9 from 12:00 to 1:30
Where: http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/events/elearning/courses/digitallearningmaterials.cfm
IT
What: Evaluating and implementing web scale discovery services in your library
When: July 13 from 12:30 to 2:00 and July 20 from 12:30 to 2:00
Where: http://bit.ly/ii0r6Z
What: Delivering innovative mobile services through your library
When: July 21 from 12:30 to 2:00 (Trends in mobile technologies impacting libraries) and July 28 from 12:30 to 2:00 (Mobile technologies for libraries)
Where: http://bit.ly/mbStrv
What: Managing physical storage
When: August 10 from 11:00 to 12:30
Where: http://www.niso.org/news/events/2011/nisowebinars/storage/
Management, Leadership
What: The Library’s role in ensuring the success of international efforts on campus
When: July 12 from 12:00 to 1:30
Where: http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/events/elearning/courses/international.cfm
Other PD Sessions
What: The Future of Library Technology series, The Future of Library Technology: How Trends in Scholarly Communication and Technology are Impacting Academic Libraries
When: July 7 from 10:00 to 11:00
Where: http://bit.ly/l0uu1Q
Virtual Conferences
What: ALA Annual Wrap-up
When: July 8 from 12:00
Where: http://bit.ly/jEHrfE
iS2 Travel and Expenses eLearning Course
As of August 2, all University of Calgary employees will automatically have access to complete travel and expense claims through PeopleSoft Employee Self Service.
For more details regarding the changes to the Travel and Expense Process, please see attached briefing note.
If you complete expense reports on a regular basis, it is recommended that you take this training prior to August 2 so that you are able to complete your expense claim correctly. The course will continue to be available after August 2.
How to Access the Course
1. Log into My U of C portal
2. Click on ‘Blackboard’ under Quick Links
3. Click on the ‘Courses’ tab
4. Under the ‘Course Catalog’, click on the iS² folder
5. Enroll in the appropriate course (Travel and Expenses). Click ‘Enroll’, ‘Submit’ and ‘Okay.
For full iS² course information and registration, please click here or visit:
Human Capital Management Training
Supply Chain Management Training
If you have any questions or concerns as to why a course was recommended for you, please contact your manager or HR Partner. All other questions can be directed to: is2train@ucalgary.ca
Sincerely,
The iS² Training Team
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A few new interesting Google developments
For some time now, Google has been offering "personalized search results" - i.e. Google knows that you're located in Canada, and that you often visit certain web sites. It gets this information from your history, if you have an iGoogle account, but even if you don't, it gets the info from cookies it places on your computer. So for example, if Google knows that you often visit Epicurious.com, then maybe the next time you search for a recipe, results from Epicurious will appear higher in your result list. The upsides to personalization are obvious, but there are potential down sides too. This article from Lifehacker (and the accompanying video) has a good explanation of the issue, and offers some tips for searching without this sort of personalization (which you will likely want to turn off if you're looking for grey literature for a client, for example).
"What do you love?" is a new Google meta-search tool that searches across all Google's tools. So enter something like "wine," and you'll get search engine results, books, articles, blog posts, maps to nearby wine shops, and lots of other stuff from Google's various services.
The other interesting Google development lately is Google Plus, a social network that seems to be Google's latest attempt to compete with Facebook. This Lifehacker article provides an overview.
Friday, June 24, 2011
QR code for HSL
<img src="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=5&d=http%3A%2F%2Flibrary.ucalgary.ca%2Fbranches%2Fhsl" alt="qrcode" />
Please copy and save this QR code or use this persistent URL in publications to send mobile users to a mobile optimized version of the HSL homepage.
QR code reader for HINC homepage
<img src="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=5&d=http%3A%2F%2Fhinc.ucalgary.ca%2F" alt="qrcode" />
HSL Access Notes - June 24th
A few notes to end the week.....
HSL Summer Holiday Closures
HSL will be closed over two holiday weekends this summer as follows:
Friday, July 1st
Saturday, July 2nd
Sunday, July 3rd
***Staff are asked to remind clients of our closure, and all renewal and return options especially in regard to any books borrowed this weekend and coming due on July 2nd or 3rd. Thanks.
Saturday, July 30th
Sunday, July 31st
Monday, August 1st
Welcome
Please welcome new student assistant Amanda Colville who will begin training this coming week.
Medical Residents
As mentioned in a separate email, we are having trouble with some resident records showing up in Sisrsi prior to their July 1st program start date. Please see email for full details. We may see more residents on site next week during their orientation week. Thanks.
Campus Loans moving to Holds
As mentioned in recent Notes, the UofC is moving from a Campus Loan service to the onshelf holds service to transfer books between branches for clients.
UofC Clients:
Basically UofC clients are encouraged to find the item they are looking for in the library catalogue and use the hold button to place the hold. The hold button appears whether an item is out or on the shelf. Items are pulled from the shelves, and clients notified of their holds twice a day. Currently, all 'on shelf hold' items are held at the home location. In the hold notification that the client receives, there are instructions on how to request a hold transfer if a different pick up location is desired(forwarding the email to the appropriate location). We are working on a process to allow for a hold pick up location to be selected when placing the hold, but there is still some system work to do before this can be offered (fall roll out of this feature is possible). When HSL holds are requested for pick up at main campus, our staff email the client indicating when it will be available for pick up at MacKimmie.
So rather than have UofC clients use the Campus Loan email to request an item transfer, clients will now place a hold and then request the transfer by forwarding the hold notice and indicating the preferred pick up location.
HIN clients:
HIN client certainly are able to use the same hold options as UofC clients however with the HIN service model, staff will also continue to facilitate client requests. So, HIN may request books or articles through the online form, or by contacting any KC as well as by placing holds.
At this time (until clients can choose hold pick up locations), if KCs receive book requests from clients for books at MacKimmie, we ask that staff no longer request by sending a Campus Loan email to MacKimmie the home location, staff are asked to facilitate this by placing a hold on the item using an internal card (eg. Campus Loan card), and request the hold transfer once the notice is received. When the transferred item is received, the KC would notify the client that the item is available for pick up. This makes the request a one step process for the client.
This internal hold process could also work between Knowledge Centres, though staff will continue to respond to item transfer (campus loan) email requests as well.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Facility Requests July 4th – July 8th
Both Annley and myself will be away the week of July 4th – 8th. If there is a need to submit a facility request, please contact Kelly or Brian. Thanks.
Lights
We have lost some light in 1454 and 1456A as bulbs continue to burn out. This is being addressed. Also, the light in 1459 are the type that take time to ‘light up’ so if you are using the room, you may want to ensure lights are on prior to any scheduled meetings.
ILL book Requests
Due to the postal strike, most ILL book requests cannot be processed at this time.
Plastic for flooding and emergencies
We have sheets of plastic to cover stacks, etc. in case of emergencies. This is packaged in a box labelled: Plastic Sheets for Fluid Leaks and is on the shelving in the workroom area: top left shelf, white box with red print.
Computer Vacuum
We have received our specialty vacuum to help clean computers. Brian will be sending more information out soon.
Formatting a Thesis Session – Customized for Staff
Leslie Potter will be at HSL to present a training session for staff on Formatting a Thesis.
We hope you can join us in 1460B on June 28 from 10am – 12pm for this session.
Printing upgrade
· Our new network printing system has been operating well. We are still waiting to here back about the small glitch with Science Direct (yes they do print, but with one extra sheet). Jobs drop off the queue after 30 minutes, but we have also asked about the possibility of a staff override to remove jobs from the queue when necessary – will provide more information as it becomes available.
· Wireless printing from both PCs and Macs (does require eid login) is much easier now and steps can be found at: http://print.ucalgary.ca/
· Encoding older cards: It is important to know that if a client has a card that was issued before May 2007, it will not read in the new network Printer swipe machine. These cards need to be re-encoded. We have a temporary set up using the laptop and swipe bar a the end of the counter by the POS for re-encoding cards. Step by step instructions are in the works and training will be provided. Remember clients still have the option of using the back up Reference workstation and printer when necessary.
· Please let me know if you hear of any client issues, questions or concerns with the new system for follow up.
IS2
Starting Aug. 1, 2011, staff, including student assistants, will submit timesheets online. Individuals who currently complete paper timesheets will report, modify and submit their timesheets directly in PeopleSoft through Self Service. The iS² website will provide further details as soon as they are available. This will include student assistant timesheets.
Online training will be available beginning June 21st. Staff should receive an email recommending the type of training that would best suit their needs.
Check out the IS2 website for more info at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/is2project/
Integrated Service Desk
Through the holiday months there may be more time when the desk is ‘single-staffed’, with additional staff available on an on call basis. Kelly will be working on the reference desk schedules for July and August next week.
Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns.
Have a great weekend.
Mary
Reading Room Best Practices Video
In our shared drive you will find a helpful video created by the University Archives introducing handling guidelines for using archival materials and special collections. We hope the video is useful and timely as HSL is currently shelving it's first special collection in the Medical History Room.
You will find the video here:
R:\Health-Sciences-Library\Collections
Formatting a Thesis Training
We hope you can join us in 1460B on June 28th from 10 am – 12pm for this session.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Health Sciences Resources for Mobile Devices Session
Instructor: Helen Lee Robertson
Learn about health sciences resources for mobile devices -- primarily point-of-care and other clinical tools, both licensed and free. Although we will use iOS (iPhone/ iPad/iTouch) as examples, the resources are also available for other devices, such as Blackberry.
Friday, June 17, 2011
HSL Access Notes - June 17th
Hello,
A few notes to end the week.....
HSL Summer Holiday Closures
HSL will be closed over two holiday weekends this summer as follows:
Friday, July 1st
Saturday, July 2nd
Sunday, July 3rd
Weekend staff are asked to remind clients of our closure, and all renewal and return options especially in regard to any books borrowed this weekend and coming due on July 2nd or 3rd. Thanks.
Saturday, July 30th
Sunday, July 31st
Monday, August 1st
Holds for HIN clients
There had been a problem lately with KC location for hold items showing up in clients online accounts as ‘ucalgary’. This has now been resolved by ITS, and individual KC locations should display for each hold item.
Please let me know if there are any other concerns.
Formatting a Thesis Session
Leslie Potter will be at HSL to present a training session for staff on Formatting a Thesis. Remember, this session has moved from the afternoon to the morning.
We hope you can join us in 1460B on June 28th from 10am – 12pm for this session.
Stampede half day
Full-time support staff employees (Regular, Sessional, Limited Term, Fixed-term and Temporary) are entitled to a one-half (1/2) day holiday to be observed during the period of the Calgary Stampede (July 8 - 17, 2011).
Full-time employees who are on vacation, sick leave, workers' compensation, or any other leave during the period of the Stampede are not eligible for any benefit in respect to this holiday. The employee must be at work a minimum of one-half day during the period of Stampede to qualify for the holiday.
Part-time employees (Regular, Sessional, Limited Term, Fixed-term, Temporary and Recurring) are NOT entitled to the Stampede Holiday on a prorata basis.
Printing upgrade
Our new network printing system has been operating well. Thanks Lourdes for creating the new instructions posted for clients by the print station. Lourdes also did a Science Direct test print and found that the article did print properly, though with one extra page of 'tech text'. We are following up with IT on this.
Please let me know if you hear of any client issues, questions or concerns with the new system for follow up.
· Wireless printing from both PCs and Macs (does require eid login) is much easier now and steps can be found at: http://print.ucalgary.ca/
· The printer has been adjusted so that it defaults to double-sided printing, but clients can choose the option for single-sided printing from the print dialogue box at their workstation.
· When clients select print option at a public computer, the HSL network printer will display as Health_Sciences_Library.
· Jobs sent to the printer will remain in the queue for 30 minutes. IT is working on creating an override to allow staff to delete items in the queue when necessary.
· It is important to know that if a client has a card that was issued before May 2007, it will not read in the new network Printer swipe machine. These cards need to be re-encoded. We have a temporary set up using the laptop and swipe bar a the end of the counter by the POS for re-encoding cards. Step by step instructions are provided.
· Remember clients still have the option of using the back up Reference workstation and printer when necessary.
New Books
A message from Rob regarding the status of new books. We have seen our first ‘available soon’ items arrive at HSL this week.
Starting on Wednesday, June 8, we will begin to use the “available soon” feature in Sirsi. This means that shelf ready books that come in will say “available soon” rather than “available” in the catalogue. This will stop frustrating library users who place holds on books that aren’t really on the shelf and expect them to be on hold right away. “Shelf ready” books can take anywhere from one day to two weeks after arrival before going to the shelf.
What this means is that starting on June 8, new University of Calgary library books cannot go straight to the book shelves. New books will need to checked in, before going to the shelves. Since our users can place holds on “available soon” books, this also means that we can process any holds before they go to the shelves. If we don’t check in new books, they will continue to have the status of “available soon” rather than “available.” While library users can continue to place holds on “available soon” books, the holds won’t be filled because the holds aren’t “available.“
Podiums
Thanks Kelly for creating the classroom A/V instructions and for providing the mini training sessions. A copy of the instructions has been stored in each podium.
We also now have the connection for Mac computers installed on the 1460B podium. This will be coming soon for the 1460A podium as well.
Rooms
Room 1459 (south of Computer classroom) is now just about complete. We are just waiting for the table to be fully wired. This room, with a table that seats 14 comfortably, will be reserved as a staff meeting room and may be booked through Annley.
Room 1453 will be added to the online booking system for student use.
IS2
Starting Aug. 1, 2011, staff will submit timesheets online. Individuals who currently complete paper timesheets will report, modify and submit their timesheets directly in PeopleSoft through Self Service. The iS² website will provide further details as soon as they are available. This will include student assistant timesheets.
Online training will be available beginning June 21st. Staff should receive an email recommending the type of training that would best suit their needs.
Check out the IS2 website for more info at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/is2project/
RFID
The RFID project continues. We are now tagging in the WG call number range. During this process carts of tagged books may be sitting in the open area by the digital wall waiting to be shelved. We are pleased that at times clients are browsing through the titles on these carts. However the more browsing these carts see the more important it will be for staff reshelving these carts to do a quick scan of the books before shelving to ensure proper call number order. Thanks.
History of Medicine Room
The second shipment of the Mackie special collection has arrived, and is being shelved in the History of Medicine Room. Thanks to all who are assisting.
· There is a summer student working with Dr. Stanisch who will need access to the History of Medicine Room at times (last name Lefevbre). Staff are asked to open the room for her as needed, with a reminder that this is a no food and drinks area.
· The plastic covering has been removed from the shelves. While it continues to rain, staff are asked to check the room once a day for any signs of leaks in the ceiling.
· There is a History of Medicine conference beginning on the 16th of June and we may get some extra requests to view the room and collection over the weekend.
HSC Interactive Maps
Have you had an opportunity to use the UofC interactive room finder feature at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/map/interactive
The HSL renovated space and new rooms are now displaying.
Also, University of Calgary contacts directory has been updated to include links to interactive maps. When you click on a person's location, the map pops up showing you not only the building they're located in, but also the room location!
Clocks
We have a new clock in the service area, and one in each of the Computer Classrooms.
Please let me know if there are any questions, concerns or suggestions.
Have a great weekend.
Mary
Monday, June 13, 2011
Launch of Remote@EBLIP6 Programme 28-30th June
The University of Salford is proud to host the sixth Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP6) Conference in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK, June 27th - June 30th 2011. If you are unable to travel to Salford, you will still be able to participate remotely in the highlights and key elements of the programme via Remote@EBLIP6.
This exciting international conference has grown out of an increasing interest in using the best available evidence in health libraries to improve library and information practice more generally and this is the first time that remote participation has been offered.
Previous EBLIP conferences have been practical, friendly and inspirational in getting people involved in evidence-based practice. In 'Valuing Knowledge and Expertise', the stimulating and varied EBLIP6 programme <http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
Remote@EBLIP6
Recognising that many people may want to attend the conference, but may not be able to travel to Manchester, highlights and key features of EBLIP6 will be made available via the Internet to registered Remote@EBLIP6 participants. http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
This includes Keynote sessions, Madness sessions and a broad spread of Parallel sessions taking place in the main conference hall.
You will also be able to participate in "live chat" with other Remote@EBLIP6 conference delegates and ask questions to presenters alongside traditional conference delegates in real time. You can either attend as a remote delegate in real time - or at a time which is convenient for you (presentations will become available within 24 hours). Technical support will be available throughout the live sessions and at times specified on the programme.
Requirements for Remote@EBLIP6
To participate in Remote@EBLIP6 you will need: internet access, a pc which can run javascript and noise cancelling headphones. You will also need to register and pay the appropriate conference registration fee.
A tutorial http://bit.ly/bXXY9W and further information http://www.elluminate.com is available for familiarisation with the software programme.
It is advised that you access this tutorial and information before paying your registration fee.
Costs
Registration fees for Remote@EBLIP6 are 65 GBP and will include access to the software, the sessions specified in the Remote@EBLIP6 programme http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
Terms and Conditions: Registration fees will only be refunded in the event of a technical failure of the Remote@EBLIP6 programme or, following consultation and verification from the Remote@EBLIP6 technical support team, you are unable to access the Remote@EBLIP6 programme.
How to Pay
Delegates will be able to pay by credit card via the EBLIP6 website http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
Further information
EBLIP6: Full details of the conference are available on the conference website at http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
For further queries about Remote@EBLIP6 please email the eblip6 team at eblip6@salford.ac.uk
For booking queries please email Vicky Beckett ateblipconf-com@salford.ac.uk
Remote@EBLIP6 programme http://www.eblip6.salford.ac.
Alison Brettle & Maria J Grant
EBLIP6 Conference Chairs
University of Salford